I don’t know if I’ve mentioned this before, but I got to see Hugh Jackman and Daniel Craig in A Steady Rain on Broadway. They were incredible. It was such a big deal because I just happen to be in New York during the show’s 12-week run. Hugh and Daniel were huge. Daniel had two Bond films under his belt and Hugh was soaring. That was the year X-Men Origins: Wolverine came out, which, although a lackluster film, was a testament to how much people loved him as that character. The same character, apparently, that kept him from playing James Bond, a role that went to his buddy Daniel. According to Hugh, he had first crack at Casino Royale that came out in 2006. But he was focusing on expanding his Wolverine role and knew if he did the Bond contract, he’d only ever be playing the two characters. So he passed and the rest, as they say, is history.

Hugh Jackman has claimed he was offered and turned down the role of James Bond before Casino Royale.

The X-Men star says he was offered the role thanks to the popularity of him playing Wolverine but he ‘didn’t want to do the same things’ so turned it down.

In an interview with Indiewire, Jackman added he ‘had a look’ at playing Ian Fleming’s iconic spy but decided to prioritise Wolverine instead: “I was like, ‘If I’m doing that and Wolverine, I’ll have no time to do anything else.’

“I clearly find it more interesting to play people who colour outside the lines.”

[From Yahoo]

“I clearly find it more interesting to play people who colour outside the lines.” But that’s kind of James Bond’s thing. Not only does he often break the rules of MI6, much to the fury of Q and disappointment of M, but his legend is built on dancing on the edge of the regulations of his service. I think Hugh just meant he likes anti-heroes, but I take Bond pretty seriously, as you can see. That said, I’m glad Hugh passed. I don’t know that he’d be a great Bond. And he’s right, he’d be locked into contracts for a long time. Plus, it would’ve been hard to see it as anything other than Wolverine in a tux punching out Le Chiffre.

Hugh wouldn’t have time to do his beloved stage work, either. Like A Steady Rain or his current show The Music Man, which has been a big hit on Broadway. And we would have stories like this one: last weekend, Hugh was auctioning off his hat after the show for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. The bid was $19,000 when a woman from the crowd said “$100,0000!” Turned out to be Nicole Kidman and the crowd went flipping nuts. Hugh gave her a big hug. I posted the fan video below, you can read the whole story here, it’s very sweet… and not very Bond-like.

The generosity emanating from #NicoleKidman leaves me speechless! You ARE amazing. Thank you for your friendship and support! @MusicManBway @NicholastheWard @BCEFA

— Hugh Jackman (@RealHughJackman) November 27, 2022

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